<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>birthday boy by harpyloon</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29971671">birthday boy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/harpyloon/pseuds/harpyloon'>harpyloon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Happy Birthday Remus Lupin, M/M, wolfstar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:15:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29971671</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/harpyloon/pseuds/harpyloon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus gets a birthday present.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black/Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>birthday boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday to our favorite Pisces boy Remus Lupin!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Moony.”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“Moony.”</p><p>Turns over.</p><p>“<em>Remus Lupin</em>.”</p><p>Snores.</p><p>A scoff. “You don’t snore.”</p><p>“Would you two just shove off?”</p><p>Remus heaved out a sigh and finally opened his eyes, blinking wearily in the dark. The pale traces of moonlight filtering through the eastern windows of the boy’s dormitory allowed him to make out James’ disgruntled figure glaring at him from his own four-poster.</p><p>“Moony,” James’ voice was think and garbled with drool, “if you don’t get up right now none of us are getting any sleep.”</p><p>“I didn’t even do anything,” said Remus wearily, but he was starting to shuffle out of his blankets resignedly.</p><p>“He’ll wake up half the tower and you know it,” grumbled James before slumping back on his pillows. In just a few seconds, deep snores filled the room once again.</p><p>Squinting up at the hovering shadow by his night stand, Remus finally met Sirius’ sly gaze; he was still in his pajamas, long black hair a disarray and grazing his shoulders, but he had shrugged on a long night robe and was twirling his wand on his right hand like a baton as he always did. It drove Professor McGonagall crazy.</p><p>“Can I not ask?” said Remus quietly, afraid of waking Peter most of all.</p><p>They always made him tag along, but with the restless waves of energy Sirius was trembling with, he felt like Peter wasn’t invited for this particular one.</p><p>Sirius' grin glowed luminously in the dark, maybe even more than the stingy moonbeams.</p><p>“Was hoping you would say that.”</p><p>The stillness that Hogwarts exhumed at midnight was one of Remus’ favorite reasons for illegal wandering. The low hum from the Forbidden Forest echoed in whispers through the corridors, fire from burning torches crackled as they passed, and if one listened carefully, they would hear the faint tenor of Peeves’ hearty singing five floors down.</p><p>Under the guise of James’ invisibility cloak, Remus blindly followed Sirius down the steps, not bothering to even make assumptions on their destination. This wouldn’t be the first time Sirius dragged him out of bed. In fact, it would’ve been a wonder if he didn’t.</p><p>“Re, you’re stepping on my slippers.”</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>Before Remus could process, Sirius stopped abruptly—twisting on the spot to face Remus who barely had time to halt his tracks. Their noses were inches apart, breaths mingling under the cloak’s silky seams. This was enough to snap Remus out of his dazed stupor, the clutches of sleep quickly ebbing away.</p><p>Sirius was chuckling lowly under his breath, his eyes shifting between Remus’ slowly blinking ones.</p><p>“Re, I really need you awake for this.”</p><p>“I a—” Remus cleared his throat, “I am awake.”</p><p>Shaking his head, Sirius took his hand. Remus was now most definitely awake.</p><p>“Hurry before Peeves catches up.”</p><p>“Where are we going?”</p><p>Sirius snorts. “<em>Now</em> you ask.”</p><p>Taking the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack, a path they both knew so well, Remus didn’t think this was where Sirius was leading him, and he guessed right. They emerged through the Womping Willow and trudged the castle grounds to the looming stands that were still covered in blue and green banners from the last Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin match.</p><p>“Are we playing? asked Remus. “You know James is better than I am.”</p><p>“No, shush.” Sirius waved, dragging Remus further inside.</p><p>The Quidditch pitch was eerily quiet. A stark contrast to game days when thundering footsteps would make the stadium the shake, the bleachers filled to the brim with chanting students, and a palpable energy would be radiating off of the stands, each house desperate for a win.</p><p>Tonight, everything was still. A soft breeze snared through the goal posts and the perfectly trimmed grass crunched lightly below their slippers.</p><p>When they reached the middle of the field, Sirius uncloaked them both and lay the silk on the ground in front of them. He took off his slippers and fell onto a heap on the cloak, stretching his arms behind his head.</p><p>“Ah, that’s much better,” he sighed. He gazed up at the starry sky before glancing at Remus who just stood there, observing him with amusement.</p><p>“You brought me all the way out here, to sleep in the middle of the pitch?”</p><p>Sirius merely patted the space beside him. “Come here.”</p><p>Remus lay down beside him, shoulder to shoulder, but not before picking up Sirius’ haphazardly discarded slippers and placing them neatly beside his own. Stars heavily dotted the velvet expanse of sky, the moon now hiding behind stray gray clouds. The silence should’ve drove Remus back into his interrupted slumber, but the chirping night and the rhythm of Sirius’ breathing kept him more awake than ever.</p><p>He didn’t know how long time passed before Sirius sat up and whirled around to face him with his legs crossed. Remus lay there, arms behind his head, watching as Sirius fumbled through the pockets of his robes.</p><p>“Aha.”</p><p>A single candle stick emerged from one of his chest pockets, then what looked like a walnut muffin from another.</p><p>Remus smiled, “I’m not eating that. Who knows where you pulled it out from.”</p><p>Sirius lit the candle with his wand and propped it on top of the pastry.</p><p>“The house elves would be offended. You should be grateful they make sneaking into the kitchens so easy.”</p><p>He held out the muffin to Remus, who’s face glowed under the dim fire.</p><p>“Do you have a wish?” asked Sirius.</p><p>“Hmmm,” Remus hummed. He stared at the flickering flame of the small candle, and his stomach gave a soft lurch, “yeah.”</p><p>“I better be in it.”</p><p>Remus looked up at Sirius from beyond the candlelight. His eyes were twinkling red and gold, lips parted, face as carefree as ever. Remus knew those eyes very well. They never changed. Whatever shape and form their bodies took, Sirius’ eyes were always the same—as gray as the clouds that concealed the moon.</p><p>“Guess we’ll found out.”</p><p>Leaning up, Remus huffed out a quick breath, extinguishing the candle. Small wisps of smoke floated up the air, sending his request to the heavens.</p><p>“I have another present,” murmured Sirius, although his voice was softer now, almost shy.</p><p>Wondering what on earth Sirius Black could ever be shy about, Remus gazed up at him in silent inquiry.</p><p>After hesitating, Sirius sighed and began to shrug off his night robes. Remus raised his eyebrows. He was about to ask, when Sirius started to wriggle out of his shirt as well.</p><p>Sitting up in haste, Remus glanced around the deserted pitch nervously. Nobody else knew about the passage to the Shrieking Shack, but his nerves were always all over the place when Sirius did something unplanned.</p><p>“Pads, what are yo—”</p><p>“Re, please sssh,” pleaded Sirius, “you’re making me nervous.”</p><p>Remus’ eyes widened incredulously. “<em>You’re</em> nervous? Now you’re making <em>me</em> nervous. Since when are <em>you</em> ever nervous?”</p><p>“Remus,” Sirius grabbed both his forearms and forced him to a halt. “Stop moving. Please.”</p><p>Staring back into of Sirius’ pleading eyes, Remus could tell that he <em>was</em> nervous. This was rare for Sirius Black. He was usually the self-assured bastard strutting about Hogwarts with James in tow—equally strutting.</p><p>And now he was <em>shirtless</em>.</p><p>Breathing in through his nose and exhaling quickly through his mouth, Remus tried his best to calm his racing pulse.</p><p>Releasing one of his arms, Sirius drew his wand and held it between them.</p><p>“<em>Lumos</em>.”</p><p>A soft glow appeared at the tip, the only light illuminated inside the empty black field. Remus had to lean back slightly and squint his eyes through the brightness. He saw Sirius lower his wand to his abdomen.</p><p>Nervously peering at Remus, his hand still on his arm, Sirius smiled shyly.</p><p>“Happy Birthday.”</p><p>Confused, Remus couldn’t help but admire the hard plain ridges of Sirius’ stomach. He finally got his first tattoo during the summer last year, the words Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs decorated his waistline in a lazy script.</p><p>"Does your head get bigger every year, Pads?” Remus chuckled. “You shirtless is nothing I haven’t seen before.”</p><p>Although Remus appreciated the gesture very much.</p><p>Sirius rolled his eyes. “You’re ruining it.”</p><p>“Ruining what? Is this supposed to be a birthday strip tease?”</p><p>Groaning, Sirius let go of Remus’ arm and covered his face with a hand.</p><p>“I’m trying to be romantic!” he said, although muffled.</p><p>Remus laughed, “Oh it’s very romanti—”</p><p>His voice dropped.</p><p>At the tip of Sirius wand, where the light glowed softly, was ink. Ink on Sirius’ chest.</p><p><em>New ink</em>. And it was moving.</p><p>“What’s that?” Remus asked, breathless.</p><p>Eyes not leaving Remus’, Sirius cleared his throat before answering. “Like I said. Birthday present.”</p><p>After a few silent breaths, he added, “More for me than you, now that I think about it.”</p><p>The moon. Well, half of it, twisting slow and steady right below Sirius’ clavicle, just above his heart. As it turned on the spot, the light shifted, glowing on a different surface every few seconds, as if Remus was watching it rotate around an axis.</p><p>“It’s timed with the lunar calendar,” Sirius murmured. “I figured... well—we’d keep track of time better, y’know.”</p><p>Remus glanced up at the sky. The real moon was still obscured by gray clouds, but he was sure it looked exactly the same as the ink on Sirius’ chest; orbiting slow and steady around the Earth.</p><p>He glanced back down at the fresh ink; it was almost glowing with the light coming from Sirius’ wand.</p><p>Sirius was watching him closely, licking his lips every few seconds and running a hand through his hair.</p><p>“Re—”</p><p>“You always call me ‘Re’ when we’re alone,” said Remus suddenly.</p><p>Sirius stammered. “W-what?”</p><p>“It’s Moony when the others are around,” Remus smiled. “I like it.”</p><p>Remus wasn’t sure but he could swear Sirius flushed.</p><p>“Yeah, ‘Re’ is mine.”</p><p>Remus grinned, “Come again?”</p><p>Eyes wide, Sirius reeled, “I mean the nickname. The nickname ‘Re’, is mine. Not “Re is mine.””</p><p>Remus was laughing now. Tears leaking through his eyelids. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was finally seeing Sirius Black fail badly at flirting, or if it was because this was the happiest he’s ever felt.</p><p>Sirius doused his wand light, his face red and grumpy. The pitch was shrouded in darkness once again. Remus’ laughter roused as he wrestled Sirius’ wand from his grip.</p><p>“No no no, Sirius.”</p><p>“You think it’s stupid.”</p><p>“No, Sirius—”</p><p>“You’re laughing!”</p><p>“<em>Sirius</em>.”</p><p>Remus rested a palm on Sirius’ chest, right over the tattooed moon.</p><p><em>His</em> moon.</p><p>“This is the best birthday of my life,” said Remus quietly, gazing into stormy gray orbs. “Thank you.”</p><p>Sirius said nothing, breathing slowly, but Remus could feel the heavy thump of his heart beneath his palm. He covered Remus’ hand with his own and squeezed.</p><p>“I must be important if I’m right over your heart,” hummed Remus as he slowly traced the lines of ink on Sirius’ chest. He felt Sirius shudder quietly.</p><p>“How bold of you to assume,” said Sirius, his voice low.</p><p>Peering up at Sirius through his lashes, Remus mouth turned up slowly. If anyone thought he was the angel of their little mischievous group of four, they were sordidly mistaken. Remus was all forms of wicked under the good boy smile.</p><p>“It’s my birthday,” Remus said, “I’ll assume all I want.”</p><p>And before Sirius could stop himself, he leaned in.</p><p>It was Remus’ best birthday indeed.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>